NAPERVILLE, Ill. – The Illinois Wesleyan baseball team came up short in both ends of a doubleheader against North Central on Saturday, April 16, at Zimmerman Stadium in Naperville, Ill.
 
IWU lost game one by a 9-1 score and fell in game two, 7-6 in 10 innings. Illinois Wesleyan is now 15-12 overall and 7-4 in the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin while North Central, ranked No. 16 in this week's Collegiate Baseball Division III poll, improved to 19-4 and 8-3 in the CCIW.
 
Leaving 10 men on base, Illinois Wesleyan got 10 hits in the first game with three singles coming in a scoreless ninth inning. The lone IWU run came in the third when freshman Jonathan Broadbear doubled and scored on a double by junior Jarrod Juskiewicz. Senior Matthew Mardis and Juskiewicz were the only IWU players with two hits in the game.
 
Starting pitcher Nick Huskisson (5-2) allowed eight runs but only two earned runs on two hits with three walks and five strikeouts n in 4 2/3 innings.
 
In game two, the Titans trailed 5-3 heading into the ninth inning before scoring three runs to grab a 6-5 lead. Sophomore Mike Plecki led off the inning by being hit by a pitch and went to second on a one-out single by Ben Manski. Runners were at first and third with two outs when Mitch Pfeiffer delivered an RBI single to bring in Plecki and Juskiewicz, who had four hits in the game, hit a two-run double to stake the Titans to a lead.
 
But the Cardinals responded with a double and a two-out triple to send the game into extra frames. North Central scored in the 10th with two singles after two were out with one man aboard.
 
What's Next?
Illinois Wesleyan hosts North Central at 1 p.m. Sunday, April 17, to wrap up the three-game series at Horenberger Field.